1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for the distribution, viewing and recording of broadcast programming, and more specifically, to a method and apparatus for facilitating the viewing and recording of television programs and parts of programs by subscribers to Cable TV, Satellite TV, sites on the Global Computer Information Network and other intermediate video suppliers.
2. Description of Related Art
There are 11,000 CATV systems in the United States, serving about 64 million homes. Worldwide, CATV passes 200 million homes and Satellite TV passes over a billion homes. CATV now delivers up to 78 channels and may deliver as many as 360 broadcast channels in the future. Satellite TV delivers up to 200 channels over the air.
Both CATV and Satellite TV systems send all channels to every subscriber simultaneously. Channel selection occurs within a television, VCR or set-top box, located in the home. CATV and Satellite TV systems function as extensions of their subscribers' television sets. CATV and Satellite TV systems are designed to support broadcast television, and the main feature of broadcast television is that its programming is scheduled and transmitted at a predetermined time.
Many inconveniences arise in the viewing of broadcast television programs from CATV, Satellite TV and other intermediate video source providers. Because broadcast programs are provided according to a schedule, viewers often miss programs, either because they are not able to watch programs at the scheduled time, or because of equipment failure at their home site, at the intermediate video provider's site or on the network that connects their homes to the provider. The current state of the art of CATV and Satellite TV systems does not allow viewers to watch programs on the viewers' own schedules.
Other systems have been proposed to add convenience for subscribers, however they subject a subscriber to unnecessarily complicated procedures to perform limited functions. For example, in published International Application Number WO 99/63759, a system is disclosed wherein a subscriber is required to navigate through an interactive electronic program guide. In that disclosure a subscriber may only access recorded programming that is previously recorded in its entirety. A subscriber viewing a broadcast program from some middle point as it is initially aired may not view the program from the beginning until the program has aired in its entirety. Even then, the subscriber is required to inconveniently navigate a complicated menu structure to locate the desired program.
Another inconvenience arises from the fact that users of VCRs and digital VCRs can only record one channel at a time.
A further inconvenience arises from the fact that viewers are not able to access programming that is being broadcast in other geographic areas.
Another inconvenience arises from the fact that there is no readily accessible central repository of all programming that has been broadcast in all geographies over a given time period.
A further inconvenience arises from the fact that both CATV and Satellite TV systems send all channels to every subscriber simultaneously, and that channel selection occurs within a television, VCR or set-top box, located in the home. Intermediate video suppliers are exposed to the risk of lost revenue when subscribers use “de-scramblers” and other devices to de-multiplex, decode, and view premium channels or pay-per-view programs without paying for them.
Yet another inconvenience arises from the fact that intermediate video suppliers, networks and copyright owners are exposed to the risk of lost revenue when VCR and digital VCR users copy and replay programs without compensating the copyright owners.
Another inconvenience arises from the fact that broadcasters are exposed to the risk of lost revenue when video-on-demand, VCRs, digital VCRs and other technology significantly reduce viewers' exposure to advertising by making it possible for users of the technology to skip or fast forward through commercials.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus that facilitates the viewing and recording of broadcast programming to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art.